Advertising sign

ABSTRACT

An advertising device includes a plate having a display, preferably a five pointed star, thereon. A pair of disks having openings approximating the shape of the star points are mounted for relative rotation about a common axis centered on the display. Means are provided for rotating the disks in opposite directions to move the openings into and out of registry whereby the display on the plate appears, disappears and reappears. Preferably, the means for rotating the disks comprises a slide mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the axis of the disks and connecting rods joining the slide to opposite portions on the periphery of the disks and to a drive wheel mounted on the common axis. The drive wheel is rotated via a V-belt by an electric motor.

United States Patent [191 Sloan 1 ADVERTISING SIGN [75] Inventor: RobertBryan Sloan, Austin, Tex.

[73] Assignees: Kenneth Ethridge, Abilene; Lee Roy Stacy, Mills, both ofTex. part interest to each [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [21] App]. No.:437,183

[52] US. Cl. 40/30; 40/34; 40/132 F; 40/133 A [51] Int. Cl. G091 11/04[58] Field of Search... 40/34, 132 G, 106.53, 133 R, 40/133 A, 133 B,77,138,139, 61 R, 30, 33,

132 F, 132 G, 132 E; 74/51, 22 R; 46/47, 49; 240/101; 272/8 D [451 Aug.26, 1975 322,260 12/1929 United Kingdom ..40/34 Primary Examiner-RobertW. Michell Assistant Examiner-Vance Y. Hum

Attorney, Agent, or FirmC1arence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 57ABSTRACT An advertising device includes a plate having a display,preferably a five pointed star, thereon. A pair of disks having openingsapproximating the shape of the star points are, mounted for relativerotation about a common axis centered on the display. Means are providedfor rotating the disks in opposite directions to move the openings intoand out of registry whereby the display on the plate appears, disappearsand reappears. Preferably, the means for rotating the disks comprises aslide mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the axis of thedisks and connecting rods joining the slide to opposite portions on theperiphery of the disks and to a drive wheel mounted on the common axis.The drive wheel is rotated via a V- belt by an electric motor.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ADVERTISING SIGN The present inventionrelates to advertising devices and, more particularly, to aneye-catching display device particularly useful for window advertising.

One object of the invention is to provide a device in which the displayportion is covered and uncovered in a gradual, continuous and periodicmanner such that the display appears, disappears and reappears insuccessive cycles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive,eyecatching display device which focuses attention on the object ondisplay.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an advertisingdevice which utilizes oppositely oscillating disks having pre-desingedopenings therein wherein the openings move into and pre-designed ofregistry to reveal, for short intervals, the object on display.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription and appended claims taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the portion of theadvertising device in front of the display plate.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portion of the advertising devicebehind the display plate.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of thepresent invention wherein the disk openings are in registry tocompletely reveal the star display.

FIG. 5 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of thepresent invention wherein the disks have rotated to such an extent thatthe openings are only partially in registry.

FIG. 6 is a partial front plan view showing the disks and plate of thepresent invention wherein the disks have rotated still further, suchthat the openings are almost totally out of registry.

Turning now to FIG. 1 there is shown generally at 10 the advertisingsign or display device of the present invention. The device consists ofa display plate 12 having the object, design or thing 14 to be displayedthereon. In FIG. 1 the object 14 is a design constituting the fivepoints of a star. However, it will be appreciated that the displayobject can take any form or shape and can be any design or color.Alternatively, plate 12 can include a cut-out portion whereby displayobjects can be mounted in the plate, such as cigarette packages,illuminating lights and the like. Extending through plate 12 is amounting and rotational axis 16 for the rotatable disks 18, 20 whichmount on axis 16 in front of display object 14. Each plate 18, 20 has asleeve 22, 24 projecting from the front side thereof for rotatablymounting the plate on axis 16. The outer diameter of sleeve 24 issmaller than the inner diameter of sleeve 22 such that sleeve 24telescopingly fits within sleeve 22 to permit disks l8 and 20 to bemounted close to one another. A setscrew 28 secures the sleeves on theaxis. The respective plates 18, 20 have openings 30, 32 cut thereinwhich openings move into and out of registry as the disks rotate througha predetermined arc in opposite directions. When the openings are intotal registry, the object or design 14 is maximally revealed and fullyvisible. As the disks rotate in opposite directions, the openings movefurther and further out of registry until a point is reached near theend of their predetermined are when the object or design 14 is totallyobscured by the disks, at which point the direction of rotation isreversed and the openings move more and more into registry. By cyclicrepetition of this relative motion of the disks, the display appears,disappears and reappears in cyclic fashion attracting and focusing theviewers attention on the object of the display.

With reference to FIG. 2, one form of drive means for the disks 18, 20is shown, although it will be appreciated that other formsare likewisesuitable. Mounted by a sleeve 31 and setscrew 33 on the portion of axisand aligned with a vertical diameter through disks l8,

20 and is connected to plate 12 by conventional fasteners 48. In oneembodiment of the invention the drive ratio between drive wheel 34 andelectric motor 36 is adjusted such that the drive wheel rotates at aboutfour revolutions per minute. Rotation of drive wheel 36 causescorresponding reciprocal movement of slide 44 along bar 46 toward andaway from axis 16. Connecting rods 50 and 52 join disks l8 and 20,respectively, to slide 44. Lug 54 on the periphery of disk 18 and lug 56on the periphery of disk 20 serve as the connecting points for rods 50and 52. Connection may be made via connecting means 58, such asclevises, on the ends of the rods.

The invention will be more clearly understood from a description of theoperation of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-6. Thedisplay object 14 in this embodiment is a vanishing star. Specifically,shown on plate 12 are the five points of the star which may be colored,painted, embossed or otherwise applied. Axis 16 is at the center of thestar. The openings 30, 32 in disks 18, 20 each approximate the shape ofa star point but are slightly larger. Specifically, the openings 32 indisk 20 are formed wider than the star points along the right side ofthe openings as they appear to the viewer of the display (clockwiseside). The openings 30 on disk 18 are formed wider than the star pointsalong the left side of the openings as they appear to the viewer of thedisplay (counter-clockwise side). Desirably, the openings 30 on disk 18are the exact reverse of the openings 32 on disk 20.

In operation, electric motor 36 rotates drive wheel 34 which in turncauses slide 44 to reciprocate. If the device is assumed to commenceoperation with the disks -18, 20 in their fully opened position, i.e.,with slide 44 in its uppermost position and with the star 14 fullyvisible as shown in FIG. 4, then upon downward movement of slide 44,disks 18 and 20 are caused to rotate in opposite directions with lugs 54and 56 slowly moving closer to one another. As the disks rotate,openings 30 and 32 move progressively out of registry and more and moreof the star points are hidden from view (FIG. 5) until the star pointsare almost totally obscured (FIG. 6) and then are finally totallyhidden. At the point where the star points are totally hidden,corresponding to the lowermost position of slide 44, the rotation ofwheel 34 causes slide 44 to begin upward movement,

once again causing the disks 18, 20 to rotate in opposite directions(the lugs moving away from one another). As the disks rotate, theopenings therein again move into registry and the star points becomemore and more visible until they are totally visible. it will beappreciated that since the openings 32 and 34 are cut larger than thestar points, the star points are totally visible for an extendedinterval of the relative disk rotation.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, which is offered merely asillustrative of and not as limiting the present invention, each disk 18and 20 rotates through a predetermined arc of 16 degrees from a fullyclosed I (i.e. openings totally out of registry) to a fully openposition (openings totally in registry). To more fully appreciate therelative positions of the lugs on the disks,

7 reference is had to FIG. 4 where the 360 of a circle are eachencompassing 90 of the circle. The point is at N with E representing 90,S representing 180 and W 1 representing 270 of rotation in a clockwisedirection.

Lug 54 on disk 18 is located at a point 5345 left of or clockwise fromthe intersection of the disk periphery with the vertical diameter i.e.,5345 toward W from S. Lug 56 is located at a point 5345 right of orcounterclockwise from the same intersection, i.e. 5345 toward E from S.The relative size of the device to accomplish the desired rotation isbased upon the distance from the center of the star to the center of thelugs 54 or 56 designated as D. The lowermost position of slide 44 on bar46 is 2.5 D below the axis 16. Rods 50 and 52 are 1.732 D in length. Lug42 on wheel 46 is 0.2367 D from the axis 16 and rod 40 is 1.9796 D inlength.

While the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments thereof it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that numerous modifications can be. made without actuallydeparting .from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, allmodifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within thescope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: I v 1. An advertising devicecomprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks havingopenings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillationin opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined arcs,said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to movesaid openings into and out of registry to reveal for predeterminedintervals the display on said plate, and means for oscillating saiddisks in opposite directions.

2. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display isa design.

3. An advertising device, 'as claimed in claim 1,

comprises a drive wheel mounted coaxially with said disks, thirdconnecting means joining said drive wheel to said slide means and meansfor rotating said drive wheel.

6. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means forrotating said drive wheel is an electric motor operatively connected tosaid drive wheel.

7. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drivewheel is mounted on the side of said plate remote from said disks.

8. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5,

' wherein said first and second connecting means conwherein said commonaxis extends perpendicularly through the center of said display.

4. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means foroscillating said disks comprises slide means mounted for reciprocationtoward and away from said axis, first and second connecting meansjoining said slide means to laterally opposite portions of said disksand means for reciprocating said slide means.

5. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means forreciprocating said slide means nect to the periphery of said disks.

9. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said firstconnecting means connects to the periphery of one of said disks at apoint in the 180 to 270 quadrant of said disk and said second connectingmeans connects to the periphery of the other said disk at a point in theto 180 quadrant of said disk.

10. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein saidconnecting means are rigid elongated members.

11. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first andsecond connecting means are connected to said disks at equal angulardistances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the peripheryof said disks.

12. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of saiddisks includes a sleeve projecting from the center thereof for mountingon said common axis' and said sleeve on said disk adjacent said platetelescopingly fits within said sleeve on said other disk.

13. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of saiddisks oscillate through equal predetermined arcs of less than 90.

14. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, apair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate forrelative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis throughpredetermined substantially equal arcs of less than 90, said common axisextending perpendicularly through the center of said display, said disksbeing relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move saidopenings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervalsthe display on said plate and means for oscillating said disks inopposite directions, said means comprising slide means mounted forreciprocation toward and away froin said common axis, first and secondrigid connecting means joining said slide means to the periphery of eachof said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of acommon point on the periphery of said disks, and means for reciprocatingsaid slide means.

15. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said displayis the five points of a star.

16. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 15, wherein each saiddisk contains five openings therein, each said opening approximating theshape of a star point.

17. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16, wherein each saidopening is slightly larger than a star point.

18. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16,

wherein one said disk is the reverse of said other disk.

1. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined arcs, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate, and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions.
 2. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display is a design.
 3. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said common axis extends perpendicularly through the center of said display.
 4. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for oscillating said disks comprises slide means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said axis, first and second connecting means joining said slide means to laterally opposite portions of said disks and means for reciprocating said slide means.
 5. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 4, wHerein said means for reciprocating said slide means comprises a drive wheel mounted coaxially with said disks, third connecting means joining said drive wheel to said slide means and means for rotating said drive wheel.
 6. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means for rotating said drive wheel is an electric motor operatively connected to said drive wheel.
 7. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive wheel is mounted on the side of said plate remote from said disks.
 8. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second connecting means connect to the periphery of said disks.
 9. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first connecting means connects to the periphery of one of said disks at a point in the 180* to 270* quadrant of said disk and said second connecting means connects to the periphery of the other said disk at a point in the 90* to 180* quadrant of said disk.
 10. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said connecting means are rigid elongated members.
 11. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second connecting means are connected to said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the periphery of said disks.
 12. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said disks includes a sleeve projecting from the center thereof for mounting on said common axis and said sleeve on said disk adjacent said plate telescopingly fits within said sleeve on said other disk.
 13. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said disks oscillate through equal predetermined arcs of less than 90* .
 14. An advertising device comprising a plate having a display thereon, a pair of disks having openings therein mounted in front of said plate for relative oscillation in opposite directions about a common axis through predetermined substantially equal arcs of less than 90*, said common axis extending perpendicularly through the center of said display, said disks being relatively oscillatable in opposite directions to move said openings into and out of registry to reveal for predetermined intervals the display on said plate and means for oscillating said disks in opposite directions, said means comprising slide means mounted for reciprocation toward and away from said common axis, first and second rigid connecting means joining said slide means to the periphery of each of said disks at equal angular distances from and on opposite sides of a common point on the periphery of said disks, and means for reciprocating said slide means.
 15. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display is the five points of a star.
 16. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 15, wherein each said disk contains five openings therein, each said opening approximating the shape of a star point.
 17. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16, wherein each said opening is slightly larger than a star point.
 18. An advertising device, as claimed in claim 16, wherein one said disk is the reverse of said other disk. 